Hippolytus of Rome, The Refutation of All Heresies

Basilides, therefore, and Isidorus, the true son and disciple of Basilides, say that Matthias796 Miller erroneously reads “Matthew.” See [vol. i. pp. 353, 457. But see his works, vol. ii. p. 61, this series]; Irenæus, i. 28; Eusebius, Hist. Ecclesiast., iv. 16, v. 13; Epiphanius, Hær., xlvi.; Jerome, Vir. Illustr., c. xxix.; and Theodoret, Hær. Fab., i. 20. communicated to them secret discourses, which, I being specially instructed, he heard from the Saviour. Let us, then, see how clearly Basilides, simultaneously with Isidorus, and the entire band of these (heretics), not only absolutely belies Matthias, but even the Saviour Himself. (Time) was, says (Basilides), when there was nothing. Not even, however, did that nothing constitute anything of existent things; but, to express myself undisguisedly and candidly, and without any quibbling, it is altogether nothing. But when, he says, I employ the expression “was,” I do not say that it was; but (I speak in this way) in order to signify the meaning of what I wish to elucidate. I affirm then, he says, that it was “altogether nothing.” For, he says, that is not absolutely ineffable which is named (so),—although undoubtedly we call this ineffable,—but that which is “non-ineffable.” For that which is “non-ineffable” is not denominated ineffable, but is, he says, above every name that is named. For, he says, by no means for the world are these names sufficient, but so manifold are its divisions that there is a deficiency (of names). And I do not take it upon myself to discover, he says, proper denominations for all things. Undoubtedly, however, one ought mentally, not by means of names, to conceive, after an ineffable manner, the peculiarities (of things) denominated. For an equivocal terminology, (when employed by teachers,) has created for their pupils confusion and a source of error concerning objects. (The Basilidians), in the first instance, laying hold on this borrowed and furtively derived tenet from the Peripatetic (sage), play upon the folly of those who herd together with them. For Aristotle, born many generations before Basilides, first lays down a system in The Categories concerning homonymous words. And these heretics bring this (system) to light as if it were peculiarly their own, and as if it were some novel (doctrine), and some secret disclosure from the discourses of Matthias.797 (See Bunsen, i. v. 86. A fabulous reference may convey a truth. This implies that Matthias was supposed to have preached and left results of his teachings.]

[20] Βασιλείδης τοίνυν καὶ Ἰσίδωρος, ὁ Βασιλείδου παῖς γνήσιος καὶ μαθητής, φασὶν εἰρηκέναι Ματθίαν αὐτοῖς λόγους ἀποκρύφους, οὓς ἤκουσε παρὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος κατ' ἰδίαν διδαχθείς. ἴδωμεν οὖν πῶς καταφανῶς Βασιλείδης ὁμοῦ καὶ Ἰσίδωρος καὶ πᾶς ὁ τούτων χορὸς οὐχ ἁπλῶς καταψεύδο[ν]ται μόνου Ματθίου, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος αὐτοῦ. Ἦν, φησί, ποτὲ [ὅτε] ἦν οὐδέν: ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὸ «οὐδὲν» ἦν τι τῶν ὄντων, ἀλλὰ Ψιλῶς καὶ ἀνυπονοήτως [καὶ] δίχα παντὸς σοφίσματος ἦν ὅλως οὐδέν. ὅταν δὲ λέγω, φησί, τὸ «ἦν», οὐχ ὅτι ἦν λέγω, ἀλλ' ἵνα σημάνω τοῦτο ὅπερ βούλομαι δεῖξαι [λέγω, φησίν], ὅτι ἦν ὅλως οὐδέν. ἔστι δέ, φησίν, ἐκεῖνο ἁπλῶς οὐκ ἄρρητον, [ὃ «ἄρρητον»] ὀνομάζεται: «ἄρρητον» γὰρ αὐτὸ καλοῦμεν, ἐκεῖνο δὲ οὐκ ἄρρητον. καὶ δὲ τὸ οὐκ ἄρρητον «οὐκ ἄρρητον» ὀνομάζεται, ἀλλ' ἔστι, φησίν, «ὑπεράνω παντὸς ὀνόματος ὀνομαζομένου». Οὐδὲ γὰρ τῷ κόσμῳ, φησίν, ἐξαρκεῖ τὰ ὀνόματα_οὕτως ἐστὶ πολυσχιδής_, ἀλλ' ἐπιλέλοιπε: καὶ οὐ[δέν τι μᾶλλον] δέχομαι, φησί, κατὰ πάντων [πραγμάτων] εὑρεῖν κυρίως ὀνόματα. ἀλλὰ δὴ [δεῖ] τῇ διανοίᾳ, (οὐ) τοῖς (ὀν)όμασι, τῶν ὀνομαζομένων τὰς ἰδιότητας ἀρρήτως ἐκλαμβάνειν: ἡ γὰρ ὁμωνυμία ταραχήν, [φησίν,] ἐμπεποίηκε καὶ πλάνην [περὶ] τῶν πραγμάτων τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις. Τοῦτο [οὖν] πρῶτον σφετέρισμα καὶ κλέμμα [ἀπὸ] τοῦ Περιπάτου λαβόντες ἀπατῶσι τὴν ἄ[γ]νοιαν τῶν συναγελαζομένων ἅμ' αὐτοῖς. πολλαῖς γὰρ γενεαῖς Ἀριστοτέλης Βασιλείδου γεγενημένος πρότ[ερ]ος, τὸν περὶ τῶν ὁμωνύμων ἐν ταῖς Κατηγορίαις καταβέβληται λόγον: ὃν ὡς ἴδιον οὗτοι καὶ καινόν τινα, καὶ τῶν Ματθίου λόγων κρυφίων τινῶν ἕν[α] διασαφοῦσιν.